Effect of LiFE-SePBT on Postural Stability in Community-dwelling Older Adults: an Assessor-blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

NCT07842094 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: HSEARS20260330008
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 44
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study is an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial investigating the effects of combined Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise and Self-initiated Perturbation-based Balance Training (LiFE-SePBT) on postural stability in community-dwelling older adults with an elevated risk of falling.

Conditions

Fall Prevention in Healthy Aging; Fall; Fall Prevention Training; Postural Control; Postural Instability; Balance Control in Elderly

Keywords

Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise; Reactive balance; Dynamic balance; Fall prevention; Self-initiated Perturbation-based Balance Training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Generic Balance ability

  Generic balance ability will be assessed by the Mini-BESTest. Mini-BESTest can challenge balance across anticipatory postural adjustments, postural responses, sensory orientation and stability in gait, allowing for a comprehensive examination of improvements that occur in reactive control.

  Week 0 (baseline assessment), week 10 (post-assessment), week 22 (i.e., 3-month follow-up assessment)

Secondary Outcomes (12)

• Number of real-life falls

  1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months, 11 months, and 12 months after the intervention.

• Dynamic balance

  Week 0, baseline assessment; Week 10, post-intervention assessment; Week 22, follow-up assessment.

• Balance confidence

  Week 0, baseline assessment; Week 10, post-intervention assessment; Week 22, follow-up assessment.

• Functional lower body strength

  Week 0, baseline assessment; Week 10, post-intervention assessment; Week 22, follow-up assessment.

• Number of laboratory falls

  Week 0, baseline assessment; Week 10, post-intervention assessment; Week 22, follow-up assessment.

Study Arms (2)

LiFE-SePBT

EXPERIMENTAL

5 sessions of combined Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise and Self-initiated Perturbation-based Balance Training (LiFE-SePBT) will be delivered. The LiFE component involves having participants embed functional exercises into their lifestyle, as well as practising recovering their balance upon self-initiated perturbation. Each session is 90 minutes long and will be hosted once every 2 weeks.

Behavioral: Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise

Attention control group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants in the attention control group will receive 5 sessions of upper limb mobilisation and flexibility exercises. Each session is 90 minutes long and will be held once every 2 weeks.

Behavioral: Upper limb mobilisation and flexibility training

Interventions

Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise BEHAVIORAL

Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise and Self-initiated Perturbation-based Balance Exercise (LiFE-SePBT) is a synergistic fall prevention programme. LiFE programme targets generic balance and muscle strength whereas SePBT mainly influences through reactive balance.

LiFE-SePBT

Upper limb mobilisation and flexibility training BEHAVIORAL

Upper limb mobilisation and flexibility training, including arm circles, deltoid stretches, shoulder internal rotations, etc.

Attention control group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Community-dwelling older adults aged 60 or older
• Able to communicate effectively in Cantonese or Mandarin
• Able to walk independently on level ground for at least 30 minutes
• A score of ≥ 6 in the Abbreviated Mental Test (Hong Kong)
• Have fallen in the preceding year, have concerns about falling, or feel unsteady while walking or standing

You may not qualify if:

• Uncorrected vision or hearing impairment
• Osteoporosis
• Hip or knee replacement within the last year
• Resting blood pressure ≥ 160/100 mmHg even with medication taken
• A score of ≤ 6 in 5-items Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-5)
• Have musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, mental, or neurological disorders that preclude their participation in the assessment or intervention safety

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hung Hom, Kowloon, 000, Hong Kong

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• Charlotte Sau Lan Tsang, PhD

  The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Bryan Tsz Lok Heung, Bsc

CONTACT

+852-9210-2491; 26119566r@connect.poly.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 21, 2026
• First Posted: September 25, 2026
• Study Start: June 12, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 17, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 17, 2029
• Last Updated: October 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)